The Truth About MSU's Defense Moving Forward

The Michigan State Spartans are struggling, as they have lost their last three games and have fallen to 3-3 on the 2025 season.

Morale is low on the team and within the fanbase, as the team has struggled on both sides of the ball en route to three straight losses. Jonathan Smith must find ways to turn things around before they spin out of control.

One of the biggest issues for this MSU team has been on the defensive side of the ball, as the Spartans have struggled tremendously to stop any team from moving the football against them.

While many Spartan fans, especially those who have watched this team for multiple decades, expect MSU to be sound on that side of the ball, the team is not slowing down any opposing offense.

The Spartan helmet is formed during a drone light show at the Izzone campout on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Munn Field in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The unfortunate thing? MSU fans should not expect that to change any time soon.

MSU defense

Michigan State's defensive coordinator Joe Rossi watches during warmups before the football game against Western Michigan on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why has the Spartan defense been so bad? There are several reasons why the team has struggled to stop opposing offenses this season.

The biggest and most concerning issue is the lack of talent on defense. Many fans can point to scheme issues plaguing the Spartans, but the unfortunate truth is that the team might just not be good enough.

Even teams like UCLA were able to defeat MSU by dominating them in the trenches, which is the No. 1 way for teams to win games. Teams have been able to control games at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball against this Spartan team.

Joe Rossi’s unit faces tough offenses for the rest of the season, as MSU will travel to Bloomington to take on the Indiana Hoosiers this upcoming Saturday.

The Hoosiers are the No. 4 scoring offense, No. 9 rushing offense, and No. 8 total offense. It is clear Indiana has been one of the best teams in the country on that side of the ball.

After MSU plays Indiana, it will face Michigan at home. Despite home-field advantage, it does not appear that the team will likely stop its rivals from moving the football, especially on the ground.

The Spartans have always been known as a tough defensive team, but that has not been the case in the last few seasons.

Unfortunately for many Spartan fans, that won’t change any time soon.

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